Kapil Kajal

Kapil is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience. Reported across a wide range of beats with a particular focus on air warfare and military affairs, his work is shaped by a deep interest in twentieth‑century conflict, from both World Wars through the Cold War and Vietnam, as well as the ways these histories inform contemporary security and technology.
493 Articles

Boneyard Files: Lockheed P-2 Neptune – The Cold War Sub Hunter in the Sand

Lockheed P-2 Neptune, a long-range maritime patrol aircraft, served in Cold War and Vietnam missions…

Aces of the Great War: Armand Pinsard – The Escape Artist of the SPAD XIII

WWI ace Armand Pinsard, a prewar pilot, escaped captivity, scored 27 victories, and later rose…

Grounded Dreams: Dassault Mirage III V – The Supersonic Vertical Paradox

Dassault Mirage III V explored Mach 2 vertical flight, but complexity, crashes and rising costs…

Flight Test Files: F-111 Aardvark – The Journey of the Supercritical Wing

NASA used the F-111 Aardvark to test supercritical wings, fly-by-wire and adaptive wing tech, shaping…

Flight Test Files: KC-135 Stratotanker – Microgravity Research and the “Vomit Comet” Legacy

The KC-135 Stratotanker, in service since 1956, remains a key US refueling aircraft and supported…

Boneyard Files: Grumman HU-16 Albatross – The Abandoned Flying Boats of the Pacific Rim

The HU-16 Albatross was a versatile amphibious rescue aircraft used by US forces, later retired…

Flight Test Files: B-29 Mothership – The Aircraft That Launched Supersonic Flight

NASA’s modified B-29 Mothership launched the X-1 and D-558, enabling the first Mach 1 and…

Aces of the Great War: Geoffrey Hilton Bowman – The 32 Victories of S.E.5 Master

WWI ace Geoffrey Hilton Bowman scored 32 victories and later served again in WWII, combining…

Grounded Dreams: ATG Javelin – The Mach 0.8 Dream That Ran Out of Fuel

ATG Javelin MK-10 aimed to bring fighter-like performance to personal jets, but funding failure and…

Grounded Dreams: Yakovlev Yak-36 – The Soviet Jump Jet That Defied Gravity

Yak-36 was the Soviet Union’s first VTOL jet, proving vertical flight concepts but cancelled due…